One major change in the electrical construction industry over the last three years has been the use of LEDs for job site lighting. Lamp-based string lighting has been the standard on the construction job site for decades, and we all know it as not being very durable. The “fragile” incandescent lamps didn’t seem to last very long, required constant replacement, and there was no easy way to efficiently move the string lighting from one job to the next job.
Historically, energy consumption on the job site did not matter. Now it does. The “old school” prevailing thought was temporary lighting and the power draw associated with it would be charged to the job site and the string light was treated as an asset that can depreciate over time. The Department of Energy (DOE) has now stepped in, and their position is to dramatically reduce energy consumption on the job site. This means contractors must provide energy efficient lighting during the construction, retrofit, or remodeling phases for commercial and residential building projects.
But true energy savings result when the contractor makes the switch to LED lighting. This transition adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings, which are often underestimated but are important as utility rates continue to increase. Simply put — traditional lamp-based lighting creates waste and extra labor — all of which is unnecessary and expensive.
We introduced our competitively priced TIGER™ LED Temporary Luminaires about two years ago. Now on its 2nd generation, these luminaires include benefits and options contractors want to increase their productivity on the job site. The TIGER performs well in dry and damp, harsh construction environments, even if operating on a 24/7 schedule.
Should Distributors and Contractors Switch To Solid State Lighting?
Any contractor who has worked with lamp-based string lighting is familiar with how labor intensive they can be. They are expensive, take time to install, and lamp maintenance is time consuming (someone on the job site has to maintain a stock of replacement lamps and replace dead lamps throughout the day). In my experience, after the project is finished, the string lighting is either left above the ceiling tiles or is just cut up and thrown in the trash.
The primary reasons to transition to solid-state lighting are cost savings, energy savings, high efficacy, sustainability, and fewer lights needed on the job site. In fact, one EPCO 100-foot LED CordLight (Part Number 16040) can replace up to 250-feet of incandescent lamp-based string lighting and reduce energy consumption almost 80%.
The real question facing the electrical construction industry regarding the use of EPCO’s LED CordLights is not whether they will become the standard in construction projects — but when.
The Cost/Benefits of Purchasing EPCO LED CordLights:
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EPCO LED CordLights are ready to install and use right out of the box.
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Fewer circuits are required to run EPCO’s LED CordLights on the job site, and no hard wiring is needed making for a safer, expedited installation.
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Each LED CordLight module meets the proper electrical certifications, provides 1,000 lumens and 5-foot-candles, and meets the regulatory OSHA requirements.
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NEMA specified 1-15 plug and receptacle on the opposite ends are “linkable”.
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EPCO LED CordLights are easy to move around the job site, minimizing any CordLight modules being “hung-up” between walls and duct work.
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Guaranteed labor savings for installation, maintenance, and take-down.
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EPCO’s LED CordLights will last longer than traditional lamp-based string lighting. The energy savings provide a return on investment (ROI) within a short period of time; probably the first time they are used.